Trailblazer in the Plant-Based category Greg Steltenpohl Dies at 66 March 25, 2021

Trailblazer in the Plant-Based category Greg Steltenpohl Dies at 66

Founder of Odwalla and Califia Farms, Greg Steltenpohl, has passed away from complications of a liver transplant he had nearly a decade ago. He was 66. Steltenpohl was known as a plant-based trailblazer for his passion and dedication for wellness and the environment. He was born in Florida and grew up in Southern California, but his commitment to sustainability and bettering the environment was a shared passion between him and his father, Jerome Steltenpohl.

His story within the industry started when Steltenpohl moved to the Bay Area to study environmental science at Stanford University, later moving to Santa Cruz in 1977. It was the fateful purchase of a juicer Steltenpohl and his friends made, for $250 in 1980, that set the course of his career. Steltenpohl and his friends began experimenting by squeezing fresh orange juice and selling it out of the back of his van to finance their jazz playing pursuits. Shortly after, Odwalla was born.

The growth of the company was exponential and over the years, Odwalla would become an empire within the grocery industry. The pioneer started to branch out in 2010 when he started Califia Farms and began to focus on quality nut milks made with California almonds. According to media reports, the company was started as a way to fight against industrial agriculture. The company now produces various vegan milks, creamers, butters and coffee beverages.

In reference to Steltenpohl’s commitment to sustainability, Califia Farms raised $225 million in an effort to expand globally while keeping significant sustainability goals such as using 100 percent renewable energy and having a zero-waste certification.

“I think his legacy will continue to be the entrepreneurs and professionals who are in business for more than just to make a buck,” said Kiff Gallagher, a close friends of Steltenpohl, in media reports.

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